Review of Prophecy Episode 4 – “Twice Born”

On By Littum

The following review contains spoilers for the fourth episode of Dune Prophecy, “Twice Born.”

Split in two again, “Twice Born” returns Dune: Prophecy to its familiar fronts: Valya’s visit to the royal capital to mend the Sisterhood’s relationship with the Empire, and Tula’s attempt to wrangle the younger sisters as they spiral out of control with the stress of mysterious omens and Lila’s death. Now that the backstory and setup is out of the way, things start to pick up in episode 4, but it doesn’t always feel as exciting as it should. With a few exceptions, “Twice Born” is a prime example of what doesn’t work in this series.

What has been obvious from the start – but most evident this week – is that Dune: Prophecy is trying to become HBO’s next Game of Thrones. (Despite, you know, HBO already has one of them.) Basically, it’s a political drama full of noble families with their many problems, one king to rule them all, all fighting for the throne. But this half of the story has never been the highlight of the show. That remains true in “Twice Born,” where the Emperor’s insecurities drive him into Desmond Hart’s arms, and the plan to bomb the Landsraad could never evoke the right emotions.

Unfortunately, the lack of drama comes from some stilted acting – although in all fairness the cast isn’t given much to work with. Many of the younger actors in the series struggle to make sense of what is happening in their performances. I’ve said it in previous reviews, but Travis Fimmel also has a hard time making Desmond Hart feel more than crazy. The one standout in “Twice Born” is Edward Davis, who absolutely nails the twisted young Baron Harrow Harkonnen, who tries his best to feign confidence and royalty in front of the big houses. It’s pitch-perfect stuff, making Harrow’s presence a pleasure.

The second half of “Twice Born”, as the name suggests, is about Tula’s dealings with Wallach IX as the harbinger of Tiran-Arafel slowly consumes the Sisterhood. A shared dream and a spooky arts and crafts session drive the younger sisters crazy, and Tula, as temporary supervisor while Valya is away, means she has to deal with the chaos. It’s another showcase for how Dune: Prophecy has great ideas but ultimately fails to execute them. Despite Olivia Williams’ portrayal of Tula being as thoughtful as ever, she is unable to elevate the story beyond its basic level. It’s at its most interesting when we see the emotional effects of this collective fear grow in the Sisterhood, like when Emeline is so consumed by the dream that she almost kills herself (and Jen’s ability to drown out the noise and prevent that from happening ). But we only get snippets of the younger sisters, as the focus remains on Tula for most of the time spent on Wallach IX.